Raising Money From the 21st Century Family

The makeup of American households is shifting, thanks to a number of factors, including people marrying later in life or choosing not to marry at all. The Chronicle examined the opportunities and challenges for fundraisers who can expect to be working with more nontraditional donors in the future.

People who are childless are more likely than others to surprise nonprofits by leaving money to them in their wills. Because baby boomers are more likely than other generations to be childless, those surprises may grow more common.